Just Beginning (20 page)

Wasn’t the tack they would have taken?
Was Gabe actually siding with his ex?

“You don’t?” Judith sputtered. “Your little wife stuck her nose in where it didn’t belong and gave our daughter permission to have sex.” She turned to Jenny. “Did you explain the different positions? Encourage her to try oral sex? She wouldn’t get pregnant giving a blow job, either.”

Jenny’s eyes widened at Judith’s crudity.

“That’s enough,” Gabe snapped. “Look, we knew this was coming. Teenagers are preoccupied by sex. Jenny did the right thing. Instead of finding condoms you could’ve found a home pregnancy test. Would you rather that? I wouldn’t.”

Judith glared, resentment pinching her nostrils. “She
should
have sent her to me. Or you. You’re her father.”

“She didn’t want to talk to us.” He put a supportive hand on Jenny’s shoulder. “I realize your feelings are hurt, but Jenny’s my wife. She’s a part of this family now, and you’d better accept it and work with her, like I accepted Dave,” Gabe reminded.

Judith’s jaw remained rigid, but her malicious tongue quieted. The two maintained eye contact in a silent battle of wills. The standoff lasted one long minute before Judith looked away, muttering between tight lips, “Next time, send her to me.”

Jenny would have liked to leave it at that, but heartened by Gabe’s support, she wasn’t willing to lose the ground she’d gained with her stepdaughter. “I can’t promise that. Mothers and daughters often disagree. I’m beginning to think it’s the nature of things.”

“Don’t judge us all by your own troubled relationship with your mother.”

Jenny ignored the stab of pain at the truth. “You didn’t argue with your mom as a teenager?”

Judith raised her eyebrows. “No.”

Liar
. All girls clash with their moms at some point. She paused, searching for a compromise. “As long as you don’t tell Alex, I’ll let you in on all pertinent conversations.”

Judith crossed her arms over her chest. “Conversations,
you
deem pertinent.”

Well, duh.
Jenny tried to marshal some sympathy for the older woman. “Look, you’ll just have to trust me. I would never do anything to hurt Alex or Ted.”

She turned to Gabe. “What about this camping trip?”

Gabe let out a deep breath. “I think we have to let her go—with strict guidelines, of course. Why don’t you call a few of the parents and check the stories out? That might make you feel better.”

“I don’t like it.”

“I don’t either. But she’s eighteen. She’s a good kid. We’ve got to trust her.”

Judith nodded. “Okay. I’m going to call Greg’s parents first. They should know about the condoms.”

“You can’t do that,” Jenny jumped in. “It’ll make Alex look like a slut seducing their little boy.”
Geeze
. Did Judith have an ounce of heart or common sense?

“They should know.”

“Before they leave, we’ll talk to Greg and Alex,” Gabe said. “Greg might feel differently about the whole thing if he knows we know. We’ll tell them that we think they’re not ready—”

“Then talk about the consequences,” Judith interrupted. “Abortion is
not
an option.”

“We’ll talk about the consequences and leave the decision-making up to them,” Gabe finished calmly.

“I don’t like it,” Judith scowled.

“Me either, but we don’t have a lot of good choices.”

“It’ll have to do.” She sighed, then looked at Gabe. “What time do you want us here to help set up for Alex’s party?”

Their hosting Alex’s graduation party had to be upsetting to Judith, though she’d never said so. When Alex had asked them if she could have her graduation party at their house so she and her friends could water ski and play in the lake, Jenny’d silently cheered.

Gabe frowned at Jenny. “Don’t we have something going that morning... Michael’s piano recital?”

She shook her head. “That’s Sunday. Tennis with Steve. He reserved a court for eight-thirty, but we should be home by ten.” She turned to Judith. “Is eleven good for you?”

“Fine. We’ll bring the jello, potato salad, and chips. Call if you need anything else.”

Yes, ma’am
. Jenny resisted the quip and the urge to salute.

“Judith? Try not to worry so much,” Jenny offered, then smothered a smile at Judith’s tight lips and brief nod.

Judith was dying to tell her to drop dead, but choked back the bitter retort in a supreme effort to get along. Alex’s choice had made Judith a guest in Jenny’s house so she had to be polite to her.

Jenny bit her bottom lip to cover a triumphant grin.

The day Alex graduated couldn’t have been more beautiful, and the families had been polite when they’d gone out for a celebratory lunch before Alex headed off for the massive round of her friends’ graduation parties. While Alex was party hopping, Jenny double-checked her lists. Everything was set.

Jenny was determined to make this party perfect for Alex. This was the first big event she and Gabe had hosted since marrying, and it was her chance to impress both families and friends. It was the perfect opportunity to prove she wasn’t a gold digger and could do something nice for Gabe and his daughter. Jenny might not have been able to fit into the family holidays like she’d wanted, but this graduation was all hers. For once, Judith and Mom would be
her
guests, outsiders being invited into Jenny and Gabe’s world.

Alex had given her the guest list and suggested menu but was worried her mom would be upset she was breaking with tradition in wanting an assortment of ice cream bars for dessert instead of the big sheet cake. Jenny reassured her that they’d have a spectacular dessert table even Judith couldn’t fault.

The morning of the party, on their way back from tennis, she and Gabe picked up a carload of balloons she’d ordered. Jenny lined the driveway with blue, gold, and blue devil mascot balloons. She’d continued the blue/gold color scheme with all the tablecloths and paper plates. Ted looked up from unloading the popcorn machine she rented. “Where do you want this?”

“Patio off to the side near the porch, please. The popcorn, salt, and oil’s on the kitchen counter. Thanks.” She went in the house, calling out, “Gabe?”

He lifted her wrinkled list. “Eleven o’clock, start the grill and watch out for the pizza guy.”

“Do you have the—”

He flapped the envelope of cash she’d clipped to his list back and forth. “Got it.”

“Great. Hey, wait.” She rushed to the refrigerator and pulled out a veggie platter and platter of fruit kabobs. “Will you put these on the big table on your way out?”

Gabe bent and dropped a quick kiss to her lips, then tucked the envelope in his back pocket and took the trays from her. “Sure.”

The buzzer went off, and Jenny grabbed hot pads, and pulled trays of wrapped wieners from the oven. She scooped them on a big dish as Ted came in the sliding door. “Popcorn’s poppin’. Where are the bags for them?” He looked over her shoulder. “Mmm, I love those things.” He reached out and snatched one from the top.

“Careful. They’re hot.” Jenny tossed the spatula in the sink. “Bags are on the desk. You can leave them next to the machine.” She handed him the dish. “Put this on the table next to the mustard and catsup, please. Oh, and did you plug in the freezer next to the dessert table?”

“Yes, ma’am. First thing this morning like you asked.”

“Thank you,” she said in a singsong voice.

Jenny went to the refrigerator and pulled out her surprise for Alex, plates of graduation caps Jenny’d made with Reese’s cups topped with chocolate squares complete with Sour S’ghetti tassels. Jenny carried them outside, past the dinner table and freezer holding all the ice-cream bars to the dessert table.

She placed the plates on the tiered display in the center of a half a dozen tall glass candleholders full of Skittles, Reese’s Pieces, Starbursts, Lemon Drops, mini Milky Ways, Snickers, and Butterfingers. Off to the side sat a tiny six-inch token graduation cake. Jenny smiled. Perfect.

Alex, Judith and her family arrived right before the guests began to trickle in. Alex’s dropped jaw, bugged eyes, delighted squeal, and little jig when she saw the decorations and food spread was the exact reaction Jenny hoped for. She let Gabe serve the adults drinks in the kitchen and give a tour of the house, as she went off to make sure there were cups out and plenty of ice for the sodas.

Shortly, the kids poured in and the music cranked louder. Jenny picked up her camera and moved around the patio and yard capturing lots of candid shots of Alex and her friends. Her camera turned uphill toward her husband at the grill.

Beer in hand, Gabe flipped some burgers while talking to his cousin. Dressed in navy shorts, untucked pink polo shirt, and sandals, he looked relaxed and happy. Jenny framed the shot and clicked.

She threaded her way through clusters of teens, picking up abandoned plates and napkins and tossing them in the garbage can. She pulled the garbage can a little closer to where the kids might see it and use it. She climbed the steps from the yard to the patio and checked the buffet table.

Enough food for the stragglers
. Her eyes narrowed in thought.
Maybe a little more pizza
. She lifted the cooler lid.
More soda too
.

Jenny took refuge in the kitchen, happy to escape the swimsuit-clad teenagers swarming her patio and yard. She must be getting old ’cause the music wore on her. She was partial to country, pop, and soft rock, not the rap pounding out of the speakers pulsing the patio.

Would it be totally uncool to ask Alex to change the music to something with identifiable lyrics? Probably. She doubted that Alex liked the music either, but a group of boys had taken control of her iPod a while ago. Since it was Alex’s graduation, she could tolerate it a few more hours—if she resurrected her earplugs.

Jenny took a hot pepperoni pizza box from the oven and placed it on top of the case of sodas. She pulled the screen door open with one bare foot. A cute, suntan guy walked around the side of the house, took one look at Jenny, stuffed his phone in his back pocket, and rushed forward.

“Let me help you.” He took the case from her.

Jenny lifted the pizza box off the top. “Thanks.”

“No problem.” He moved with the grace of an athlete. “You want these in here?” he nodded toward the cooler.

“That’d be great.”

He dumped all the sodas in the cooler and pushed them to the bottom under the ice. Standing back, he stood feet apart and chest out. He gave her a slow, confident smile and held out his hand. “Greg.”

The “not exclusive” Greg? Alex’s Greg?

“Jenny,” she shook his hand and pulled it back when he held it a second longer than necessary.
I hope not.

“Looks like a great party.” He jerked his head toward the steps. “Wanna dance?”

“No, thanks.”

“Aw, come on.” He held out his hand.

Jenny shook her head, then looked beyond him to Alex who was coming up the stairs behind him. “Alex will dance with you.”

Alex glanced at Jenny, then smiled brightly at Greg. “Hi.”

“Hey, congrats.” He reached out and hugged Alex. “Great party.” He cocked a head. “I didn’t know you had a sister.”

“I don’t. Jenny’s my step-mom.”

He laughed. “Funny.”

“True.” Jenny held up her left hand and wiggled the fingers, showing off her engagement ring and wedding band.

The smile wilted from his face. “Oh.”

“Uh... I have to check on something in the kitchen. You guys have fun,” Jenny spun around and headed for the house.

Oh, no. No. No. No! Stupid boy. How much had Alex heard?

In the kitchen, Jenny gathered three empty pizza boxes and headed for the garbage. Alex came up behind her in the back hallway.

“What’d you say to Greg?” she asked in a low, tight voice.

“Nothing.”

She frowned. “Why’d he think you were my sister?”

“I have no idea.”

“He asked you to dance.”

“I’m sorry. But—”

“This is
my
party, just stay away from my friends.” Alex whirled and pushed past Ted.

“Hey!” Ted, carrying a platter of burgers, pulled up short to keep from running into Alex and bumped into Gabe instead. Gabe raised bags of chips and buns high to keep from getting crushed.

Gabe frowned at Alex’s disappearing back, then raised his eyebrows at Jenny as if asking what happened. She shook her head and waved him away.

Jenny went into the garage and sank against the door. She banged her head several times.
Stupid. Stupid. Boy
. She blinked back tears.
Damn it!
After another minute, she blew out a deep breath, tossed the boxes in the recycle, and rejoined the party.

She and Gabe spent the next hour feeding the waves of friends that dropped in. Then Gabe captained the boat as the kids took turns tubing. The one bright spot was that Gabe’s uncle only stopped by long enough to say hi to Alex and hand her a card and fat check. After a mumbled complaint about the kids and loud music, George had a quick burger on the deck with her parents and then left.

As the afternoon wore on, her mother and father approached, with Michael in tow.

“We’re going to head on home now, honey. It was a great party. Thanks for inviting us,” her father said.

“You’re leaving?”

“The kids don’t want us hanging around,” her dad said, and then under his breath, “Things are getting a little wild out there.”

Jenny laughed. “It’s a party, Dad, and they
are
teenagers.” She put an arm around Michael’s shoulders and turned to her mom. “Thanks for coming, and for the little refrigerator you got Alex, Mom. She really liked it.”

“Well, I know you got a lot of use out of yours.” Mary looked around the kitchen. “The house is beautiful, Jenny. You did a wonderful job with it.”

“Thanks. Stop by anytime.”

Alex popped up beside her mom. “You’re not leaving already, are you?”

“It’s time the old folks got outta the way,” her mom said.